Oral Hygiene Before & After Implants

A 60ish man has severe gum diseases.  He has 4 surgeries to place total 10 implants (Fig.1).  The 1st 3 surgeries go on smooth and painless.  But the #4 one is not, because one of infected teeth (Fig.2: #4) has severe gum receding (as compared to the normal gum line indicated by white dashed line), abscess (*), and swelling (black dots).  The experience is bad both for him and the doctor.

Two months later the patient returns for delivery of 7 implant crowns (Fig.3).  He is much pleased.  To our surprise, his oral hygiene improves dramatically.  We wonder whether his wife has helped him brush.  This must be the best love story.  Instead he uses water pik (water flosser) for oral hygiene.  His gums look as healthy and pinkish as baby skin!  It appears to us that this used-to-be hopeless gentleman will not need implants anymore.

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Xin Wei, DDS, PhD, MS 1st edition 03/21/2016, last revision 03/21/2016